Flexible, transparent covering and windshield



March 12, 1940. G. B.IASHTON Z193,469 v FLEXIBLE, TRANSPARENT COVERING AND WINDSHIELD Filed Jan. 21, 1959 INVENTOR A TTORNEY Patented Mar. 12, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE" A L FLEXIBLE, 'raw lga r zggovsamc AND Application January 21,

4- Claims.

This invention relates to shields, and more particularly to wind and like shields for infant conveyances, such as baby buggies and baskets, and for other suitable purposes, such as employment in hospitals in connection with the treatment of patients to protect the patients and/or attendants from contamination and like influences.

The principal objects of the invention are to provide a simple, economical and highly emcient shield of the character noted; to provide a flexible and transparent shield which may be varied in contour to fit various sizes of conveyances, for example, while allowing occupants of such conveyances substantially unimpaired vision through the shield; to provide a shield capable of passing ultra-violet light rays therethrough with the consequent benefit to the infant or person protected by the-shield; to provide for ventilating the interior of the shield and/or controlling ventilation of objects over which the shield is ap plied; and to provide improved elements and arrangements of elements in the structure of a shield of this character.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the present invention, I have provided improved details of structure, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawing,

wherein:

Fig. l is a plan view of a shield embodying the features-of the present invention and shown in flat, unbent condition; I

Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of a portion of the shield at .a corner thereof, particularly illustrating the relation of the shield proper to the border and binding devices, portions thereof being shown in vertical cross-section.

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of my pre-" ferred form of shield, showing the same bent for suitable application to its intended use.

u The sheet I may be of any suitable size, but

Fig. 4 is a detail bottom perspective view of 1939, Serial No. 252,231 (c1. 135-5) is preferably of a length and breadth sufficient for bending, as shown in Fig. 3, for example, in such amanner as to form a shield or canopy of substantial height about the head and body of an infant in a basket or carriage, not shown.

In order to provide for maintaining the sheet in desired bent position, a border element 2 is preferably provided for. bounding the edges of the sheet in preferably a continuous manner. The corners 3 of the sheet and the border element 2 are preferably curved for enhancing the appearance of the shield and obviating sharp corners which might injure the person over which the shield is applied. More particularly, the border element preferably consists of a bendable 1 continuous wire, the ends'of which are suitably joined, as by welding or the like, not shown. The principal requisite of the wire is that, when bent, it be adapted to retain the contour imparted to it so as to shape the sheet I correspondingly.

Inorder to conveniently secure the border element to the shield, a binding 4 is preferably provided, which engages aboutthe border element, and also engages the sheet for securing the border element to the sheet. It has been found convenient to form the binding 4 of tape sometimes having adhesive 5-for engagement with the surfaces of the sheet I. Other suitable tapes or bindings employing stitching, for example, may sometimes beused for the purpose indicated.

In using a shieldconstructed as described, it is merely necessary to bend .the border element on the longer sides of the sheet for example, as shown in Fig.3, to, in effect, arch the same and form an interior housing 6 beneath the shield when the shield is applied to a baby buggy or basket, for example.

In larger sizes of shields, as shown in Fig. 4, reinforcements may be desirable, inwhich case ribs 1 may be extended between spaced portions of the shield 8, and, for example, between spaced portions of the border element 9 to connect suchportions of the border element. Such ribs may be secured to the shield in a suitable manner, and

act to prevent unintended bending of the shield. 45

The remainder of the structure shown in the modified form in Fig. 4 may be formed substantially similarly to the preferred form of invention previously described.

The advantages inherent' in a shield con- 50 structed as described .arethat it is simple and economical to manufacture, and efilcient in operation. The shield is easily bent for adjustment to various sizes of conveyances or supports for infants or other persons, and does not obscure 55 the vision or such persons through the shield. The shield is an adequate protection against the elements and contamination, and allows infiltration of beneficial light rays to the advantage oi! 5 persons under the shield. The shield is attractive 1y thereof and adapted to normally retain the body member in shaped condition.

2. A shield of the character described including a rectangular sheet of transparent flexible material, and a bendable border element engaged with and bounding the edges of said sheet adapted to vary the contour of said sheet and retain said sheet in shaped condition.

3. A shield of the character described including a transparent flexible body member, a continuous bendable wire bounding all sides of said body member for varying the shape 01' said body member in response to bending of said wire, and means connecting the wire to the body member.

4. A shield of the character described including a sheet of substantially transparent flexible material, means engaged with said sheet adapted to be shaped for varying the contour of said sheet, said means being adapted to normally maintain said sheet in shaped condition, and ribs engaged with spaced portions 01' the shield for reinforcing said shield, said ribs being adapted to be shaped similarly to said means and to aid in holding the sheet in shaped condition.

GLADYS BROOKER. ASHTON. 

